I thought id speak my mind....as some of you know, im currently duc-less. I had the chance to sell my hyper and switch the style of bike I ride to something else....that initial something else was originally going to be an SF1098 but the more I went into it the more it seemed quite highly priced for what it was (that's filling for another thread sandwich though) so, I looked at other stuff, I did think my mind was made up on an s1000r, same price for a nearly new one against a 5 year old sf1098s, registered on the s1000r forum " hi damodici !" and started to poke around, ask questions etc etc, obviously any big purchase of a bike means you do as much research as you can....anyway, had a test ride on it and cutting a long story short for the first time in my life (25 years of bikes) I got off thinking....yeah....it was ok but didn't make me want to ride it again....on my test ride I rode it home, got my 10 year old son out and said "have a look at what yer dad's on....!" thinking he'd be all over it...he took one look and said "its a bit rubbish looking dad...." turned his heel and went back in the house...which kind of cemented my decision... I chose the z1000 (new shape) in the end....sat on it in the kawk showroom and instantly thought....yep - this is the one for me... And this is my thoughts....on the s1000r forum, being the polite bloke I am, I explained my reasoning for what id bought and why....one user said "let me know what you think of it and when you've done getting it sorted throw up a pic...." general conversation so I replied and it (IMO) started getting pretty, not nasty but abrupt, short....get lost kind of thing...when all I wanted to do was just answer the questions, and, in probably not much time after that...the thread would die....as 90% of threads do... So I would hope, while ive not got a duc, and its my plan to get another - just got to let the wife get over this purchase....be welcome on the forum even though I don't have one...I hope so as while it was a tough decision not to go for the SF one of the deciding factors was, the forum that supports it....and makes me want to get another one... am I wrong or no??
Forums can be a massive sense of knowledge and a massive sense of friendship, both virtual and real-world. It has played a factor in my purchasing decisions in the past. I think Ducati forums are often quite polite and well represented, possibly because people are generally a bit more middle aged and a bit more financially well off... which is partly because of being educated and having higher paid jobs at times..
Yes, as I say I think this is THE best forum ive ever been on and something I think Ducati overlook to a certain extent is the pull that this has over decision making. Not in a bad way but I think manufacturers should realize it...ie ive got my zed but, the Kawasaki forum is average at best and that's being nice!! As Rich a Louigi said to me....mate "you've just joined probably the biggest social club going...!"
I currently dont have a Ducati but still linger here as its still my favourite marque. Im keeping my fingers crossed that Ducati get out of the current doldrums and produce a new super-naked worthy of the Streetfighter brand.
Its funny but if they produced the SF1098 or 1199 now with all the electronics I think they'd clear up....
Yup, agree. The original 1098SF was priced out of the market and as such it didn't sell at all despite the positive press etc. I was holding out for a retuned 1199 with similar aggressive lines to the 1098. The Monster 1200 was pretty much the exact opposite of what I hoping for. Still the Tuono v4 was a fine consolation prize but I'd chuck it in in a flash for a new Streetfighter.
Yeah - if I didn't have the RSV4 factory ive got the tuono was top of the pile....nothing wrong with the tuono, its just that ive got pretty well the same bike in the RSV4....in a little way, as much as I wanted the SF1098S there was a small part of me that said "well, you've had 2 l-twin hypers now, get something different" but if id have found eg a 2010-11 1098 with a full system that had been looked after I probably would have had it....but I couldn't find one for around 9k.... And my 5 month old zed cost me 7.8k....
Not wandering off topic but once I actually took ownership of it I registered on the z1000uk forum which is like a ghost town at the moment...the admin was telling me that apparently there was a bust up between an admin and another one, then someone else got root access and trashed the site, he recovered it but its almost as if he was expecting me to go and said "i totally understand if you want to go to another forum..." which kind of sounded like a challenge so, ive started posting like a champ on there as mines now in a lot of pieces all over the garage floor....its getting the same treatment as the hyper....and ive gotta say....the zed's fixings are on a par with stock ducati ones....already had some stuff back from powder coating today... Also I was reading through threads and noticed that the admin said to a new user "Welcome to the forum, even if you've not got a kwak yet or are thinking of buying or not, youre more than welcome all the same...." which was one of the reasons I chose to stay....
There is such a thing and its sitting in my garage. If Ducati make a new one it needs the 1299 engine,not the 1199 IMO.
Of course you are welcome. And it is right about being a great big social club. I've never felt the camaraderie I feel with Ducati with any other brand of bike. I have no idea why that is.
I've met a few people from the MV forum and they seem a great bunch but it's much much smaller group than here / I do have to say there seems less of a divide naked vs sports bikes with the MV owners and there seems to be a good mix of young and old My MV should be on the road this week. there was no problem turning up the other week at a MV meet on the SF Still keeping the SF , for now but it might have to go The MV's have their Italian problems but I must say the build quality is heaps better than my SF
That really would be the ultimate.....I think id chop the zed and the RSV4 in together if something like that ever surfaced...
Either or. A 1199 with a retune would be more than enough. 1299? Sure. A lighter (wet) clutch, modern electronics, priced within the current super-nakeds. Job done. I would be first in the queue.
